News & Info

Teachers under fire for naming student ‘most likely to become a terrorist’

Disciplinary action was taken against several Texas middle school teachers after they named a student “most likely to become a terrorist.”

The superlative was given to seventh grader Lizeth Villanueva in a mock ceremony this week at Anthony Aguirre Junior High in Channelview, Texas, according to news station KHOU.

Lizeth, 13, claims that her teacher handed her a certificate as other faculty members laughed.

“She said that some people might get offended, but she doesn’t really care about our feelings,” she said. “She was laughing about it.”

Her mom Ena Hernandez said she was horrified to find the certificate.

“I read it twice. I’m like, ‘What is this?!’” Hernandez told KHOU.

She said that the award set a bad example for the students.

“It doesn’t look good at all, especially coming from a teacher, a grown-up woman,” Hernandez said. “It doesn’t look good because everything that’s going on right now.”

The principal personally apologized to the family and the school announced Thursday that the teachers involved had been disciplined.

“The Channelview Independent School District Administration would like to apologize for the insensitive and offensive fake mock awards that were given to students in a classroom,” the district said in a statement. “Channelview ISD would like to assure all students, parents and community members that these award statements and ideals are not representative of the district’s vision, mission and educational goals for our students.